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Halfling
Halflings are a result of two people of different races mixing through sexual reproduction. People are generally viewed as halflings if they are one-half to one-eighth impure. One-sixteenth or less impure blood revokes someone's official halfling status, though they may still have some physical abnormalities or abilities someone with truly pure blood would not have. The word "halfling" is generally considered a slur, though there is notably no good substitute for the word in the Carthian language. The Athesian word "erliz" is the only known word for a person of mixed blood that is not considered offensive. Known types Half-Elves Half-Elves combine what some say ate the best qualities of their Elf and Human parents: Human curiosity, inventiveness, and ambition, tempered by the refined senses, love of nature, and artistic tastes of the Elves. Some half-Elves live among Humans, set apart by their emotional and physical differences, watching friends and loved ones age while time barely touches them. Others live with the Elves, growing restless as they reach adulthood while their peers continue to live as children. Many half-Elves are scrutinized or otherwise unable to fit into either society, and end up leading lives of solitude and are regarded as misfits or outcasts. Half-Dwarves Half-Dwarves are extremely rare, due to the unlikelihood of a Human-Dwarf pairing and the fact that such couples are unlikely to produce offspring. Despite their rarity, most settlements with a blended Dwarven population will have a handful of Half-Dwarves. Depending on who you ask, a Half-Dwarf, also called the derogatory term "Squat", looks like a short, stocky, hairy Human or a tall, thin Dwarf unable to grow a decent beard. They tend to be hard-working and pride themselves on their crafts and physical abilities. They almost always hold menial jobs. Regardless of whether they live in the Human or Dwarven societies, the life of a Half-Dwarf will be marked by ridicule, disdain, or even worse, pity. Half-Dryads Conceived from a Dryad and a Human, half-dryads are a rare, but not unheard of, occurrence. The most commonly told tale is of human men charmed by the dryads' beautiful features, often causing unspoken resentment much like the disdain of other bastard children. Half-dryads more closely resemble the human race than the dryads. By most standards, they appear to be a child of normal birth and are often mistaken for elves. But the half-dryad's heritage always shows in one obvious detail: their hair. A half-dryad's hair changes with the seasons; in the spring and summer, their hair becomes mixed shades of green, in the fall and winter their hair changes a varied blend of blond, brown, and red. Leaves and flowers from their dryad parent's tree occasionally grow within a half-dryad's hair. For some it is mixed in among the strands of hair, whereas for others it spreads to become foliage, their hair closely resembling a mass of verdant vines. Half-dryads usually live on the fringes of society. Their connection to their dryad heritage makes them more comfortable in places where things grow. Cities tend to feel oppressive and unnatural. When a half-dryad has a home within a city's walls, their residence is obvious from the explosion of foliage they have growing. Many half-dryads live in secluded groves away from other dryads, while others live in the Carthian countryside, making a living as farmers or gardeners.Category:Halflings